Seven prosecuted after failing to pay waste penalties

Failing to pay fixed penalties for ignoring requests to clear waste has left seven people a combined £5,000 worse off and with criminal convictions.

A yard at Horden which was the subject of one of the CPNs

We have successfully prosecuted four men and three women who did not pay fixed penalties issued in relation to their failure to comply with requests to clear waste left outside their homes.

The seven, all of whom are from County Durham, were each issued with community protection notices (CPNs) by us ordering them to clear waste after failing to heed informal requests to do so.

When they failed to comply with the notice, they were issued with a fixed penalty notice (FPN) of £60, rising to £100 if not paid within ten days.

In all seven cases, the FPNs were not paid and so we prosecuted for failing to comply with the CPN.

Newton Aycliffe magistrates fined each of the seven £250 with legal costs of £130 and victim surcharges of £30. Further costs were ordered in each case, leaving three of the defendants having to pay a total of £610, two £757.50 and two £870 - a combined £5,085.